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Missing Surrey man’s father pleads for more information in five-year-old search for his son

Kellen McElwee vanished March 19, 2008, after having dinner with friends at the Keg Restaurant in Langley. His car was found six days later, parked a few blocks away from his condo.

Five years after 25-year-old Kellen McElwee disappeared without a trace, his father says not a day goes by that he doesn’t think of his boy.

Len McElwee and his wife Paula brought baby shots of Kellen to a press conference at the Surrey RCMP station on Tuesday, the fifth anniversary of Kellen’s disappearance March 19, 2008.

In an interview later in Fort Langley, where the family now lives, Len explained he hoped the childhood photos would resonate with someone who might have the answer to where they could find Kellen’s remains.

“It’s been five years. Maybe someone who knows something has kids of their own that they love and cherish, and seeing pictures of Kellen as a baby might give them a different perspective,” he said.

McElwee said he still can’t believe that something like this could happen to a “normal” family.

Kellen was the first of two sons — a bright young student who had a 4.0 average in high school and who excelled in sports. Len coached him in baseball and hockey when he was young. At the time of his disappearance, Kellen was working as a trainer for the Rogers Wireless call centre and living on his own in a Burnaby condominium.

“He was a good kid. He had a good job and a girlfriend he really cared about and really seemed to be settled down and moving on with his life,” said McElwee.

As an adult, he said, his son enjoyed cooking, working out and spending time with friends. He had recently joined a recreational hockey league.

Kellen was last seen around 9 p.m. after having dinner with friends at the Keg Restaurant in Langley. A friend had called him shortly after the dinner and Kellen told him he would call him right back. He never made that call, said his dad.

McElwee said he had texted his son earlier reminding him that his grandmother was in town for Easter dinner and Kellen texted back that he wouldn’t miss it.

The family was very close, often taking their holidays in the Interior to visit the boys’ grandparents.

But when Kellen’s employer reported he hadn’t arrived for work on March 20, McElwee said the family immediately knew something was terribly wrong, as it was out of character for him not to show up.

“We went to the Burnaby RCMP and opened a missing person file. That Good Friday we spent all day looking for him and went to the airport looking for his vehicle. His friends checked downtown and by the Saturday police had started a full-scale investigation.”

Kellen’s car, a 2006 Honda, was found six days after he went missing, parked a few blocks away from his condo.

McElwee said police have done a good job with the limited information they have to go on, which has been the biggest problem with the long search: There haven’t been a lot of tips.

The family tried to generate leads for the police a year after Kellen went missing by offering a $100,000 reward.

But even though the reward money was never retracted by the family, it only brought out false leads from people trying to get at it.

McElwee noted that at one point Kellen worked as a bouncer at a downtown nightclub, and speculated that he likely met “unsavoury characters” in that job.

But, he added, police have told him they have no information that their son was ever involved in gangs, drugs or organized crime.

“Until they find whoever did this to him, we won’t rest,” said McElwee.

“But to find Kellen and put him to rest would help bring us closure. It’s the not knowing that drives you crazy.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the RCMP Integrated Homicide tip line at 1-877-543-9217.

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